Tea House. Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)

Tea House. Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912).
Carved wood, lacquered in rankanku (eggshell) and gilded.
Some losses in the lacquer.
A similar teahouse is in the Museum of Lacquer Art (Münster, Germany).
Measurements: 24.5 x 18 x 13 cm.

The one we now present is an interesting example of Japanese craftsmanship from the Meiji period. It is a pagoda that opens to reveal an interior with an astonishingly beautiful collection of small trays, boxes and containers. In total, it consists of 26 individual handmade pieces. All are lacquered, hand-painted and gilded with cranes and flowers, and sport a wonderful glossy red lacquer on the inside.

The history of Japanese pagoda-shaped tea boxes is linked to the period of Japan's opening to Western trade and the boom in the export of tea and decorative objects. For centuries, tea in Japan was stored in ceramic vessels (chaire) or wooden boxes (kiribako), with simple, cylindrical shapes that prioritized functionality and wabi-sabi aesthetics (beauty in simplicity and imperfection). The pagoda-shaped tea box, however, is a phenomenon that emerged or became popular during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) due to the opening of trade and Western influence and exoticism (Western customers sought packaging that reflected the exoticism they associated with Asia).